The Diski-land

“Where are you going?”

Lebo was at the gate, heading out. “I am taking a stroll. Trying to see what’s what in this place.” She gestured vaguely around, rolling her eyes.

“Okay.” Her mother gave her an empathetic smile. “Don’t get lost, hey?”

“I won’t.”

Lebo shoved her hands in her pockets and walked down the street, with no particular destination in mind. Around the corner, she found a big supermarket with the sign, ‘Mshengu General Dealer’.

“This must be where everyone buys their groceries,” she said to herself. “Mhm, I hope there is a mall nearby. I don’t want to walk a long distance just to use an ATM.”

She passed a couple of small spazas that sold fruits, veggies, and snacks such as sweetcorn, all hand-packaged into small transparent plastics. She admitted to herself that their presentation was colourfully smart.

Matter of fact, she was so attracted that she decided to buy a packet of mixed fruits. She was astonished to find out how cheap the packet was. It was merely R5. In Germiston you could only buy two fruits with R5. A packet like this sold at about R10. And she loved fruit so much.

Mhmm! I think I am getting to like this place, she thought and smiled.

Lebo was eating her fruit, walking slowly, letting the road take her wherever, when suddenly a person on a bike passed close by her, at speed. She jumped in fright as she was sprayed with dust.

“Hey! Watch it!” she called out in annoyance.

The cyclist slowed down and u-turned. Great! Two minutes since she arrived and she was about to argue with a person she didn’t know. How she hated to fight.

“Oh, I’m so sorry. I’m just in a hurry. You okay?”

Oh, talk about the unexpected! she thought. “Yeah, I’m fine.” She didn’t want to sound rude. He apologised, so there was no need to turn this into an argument, although she was pissed.

“It’s just that my game is about to start and I’m late. So I need to be there. Like, right now!” His voice was strong, but not in an intimidating way.

“Oh, what game?” Lebo’s interest was piqued.

“A soccer game. We are playing a friendly match, and I’m supposed to be there. Plus I’m the captain; my absence is easily noticed.”

“Oh, let me not hold you then,” she said, smiling like a fool. She was thinking to herself: They play soccer? Oh yeah!

He looked up at her again and said, “Sorry for that, okay?”

“Oh this? No big deal.” She shrugged it off.

“You should come and see me play. You like soccer?”

I like soccer? Are you kidding me? she thought, and smiled a little. “Yeah, I would love to,” she replied, emphasising the keyword ‘love’.

“The soccer ground is near. Just over there.” He gestured forward with his head, seeing as both his hands were on the handlebars.

“I’m right behind you.”

“Sharp-sharp.” He started speeding off, then suddenly stopped, as if he had forgotten something. “I didn’t quite get your name.”

“It’s because I didn’t quite give it to you,” she said with a smile.

“Oh, my bad,” he said, laughing. “What’s your name? I am Thabo, but they all call me T-Touch.”

“Oh, nice meeting you, Thabo. I am Lebo, but they all call me Lebo.”

T-Touch laughed again. Lebo knew how to utilise her sense of humour when needed.

“Well, it was nice meeting you, Lebo. See you there.” He pedalled off, and Lebo, walking, was quickly left behind.”

She hurried, and soon heard the sound of many excited voices, and music. I must be near, she thought. When she arrived at the place, there was a big crowd of people surrounding the soccer ground. She couldn’t believe it. So many supporters! Some had their cooler boxes out, were drinking beer with their car boots open and sounds blaring. Others were sitting down, talking to each other, while yet others were laughing their lungs out with no care in the world.

She looked around the ground. At the far end, a team in red was jogging slowly, warming-up. At the near end, a team in yellow was coming into the ground, one by one. She traced the direction they were coming from, and there was T-Touch’s bike.

This must be his team, Lebo thought. The soccer pitch had no grass, but it was levelled properly with sand, which made it safe for the players. Two minutes later, she saw T-Touch arriving on the pitch, wearing a captain’s armband.

“So this is the real Sonwabo?” She said that out loud, but to no-one in particular. Someone must have heard her, because they replied, “Yes, this is the township of Sonwabo. With nothing else to offer but great diski. That’s why it is nicknamed ‘Diski-land’ – it is the land of diski. The land of soccer.”

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Tell us: Do you like watching local soccer? Why or why not?